


Come Correct

by Polomonkey



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Canon Era, Cuddling & Snuggling, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Punishment, Sexual Content, Spanking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-16 14:02:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28583187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polomonkey/pseuds/Polomonkey
Summary: Arthur plays a trick on a visiting noble and Merlin ends up paying the price. Leon isn't about to let Arthur get away with that...
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 266
Collections: Finish that Fic Merlin!, Hurt/Comfort Bingo - Round 11





	Come Correct

**Author's Note:**

  * For [whimsycatcher](https://archiveofourown.org/users/whimsycatcher/gifts).



> Whimsy, I am so terribly sorry this took me so long to gift to you! You are a wonder of this fandom and I really hope you like it <3 If you've seen Whimsy's lovely art pieces about Leon and Arthur's brotherly relationship [here,](https://whimsycatcher.tumblr.com/post/133393973858) [here](https://whimsycatcher.tumblr.com/post/133462200848) and [here](https://whimsycatcher.tumblr.com/post/133630248933) you'll see what I based their dynamic off for this fic. 
> 
> Also fills my 'cuddling' square on hurt/comfort bingo.

It had been a very good day.

Arthur felt a good day was well deserved after a week of biting his tongue around Lord Branley’s arrogant, indolent son who was visiting Camelot from the north. Silas was a brat of the highest proportions and his constant boasting and whining had frayed Arthur’s nerves to the edge. And the entertaining of the petulant noble had been left almost entirely up to Arthur whilst Uther spent time with his old friend Branley.

A prince could only take so much. After listening to yet another one of Silas’ lectures on how his home in the northern territories was so much better than Camelot could ever hope to be, Arthur had devised a plan. Nothing too destructive, just something to put Silas right back in his place.

On top of all his other faults, the man was a peacock, constantly preening. He favoured crisp cream clothes with a gold embroidered trim, and didn’t fail to brag about how the design was far too intricate for the Camelot seamstresses to master. Arthur decided that there could be no better place to strike. He had Merlin fetch Silas’ clothes to be washed and then instructed him to add just a dash of red dye into the laundry.

His plan worked better than he ever could have hoped. Silas showed up at his final feast in bright pink clothes, with a bright pink face to match. Arthur nearly had to hide under the table to stop himself from laughing outright and he was most satisfied to witness that Silas spent the dinner entirely subdued and near silent for once.

“You should have been there, Merlin,” he said as he lowered himself into the bath with a contented sigh. “It was hysterical.”

Merlin only smiled from the corner, where he was polishing Arthur’s circlet.

“Sorry to have missed it.”

“I know it was petty but the man really was a pompous arse,” Arthur announced, reaching for the soap. “If I’d known it would shut him up that effectively, I would have done it sooner than his last night here.”

“Indeed,” Merlin said.

He had been a little quiet since they had returned to Arthur’s chambers. He’d missed the feast due to running some sort of errand for Gaius and he hadn’t said much since they’d returned. Arthur wondered if he disapproved of the prank. Merlin could be a bit soft hearted about things like that.

“No harm done,” he said bracingly, trying to reassure his anxious manservant. “They’re leaving tomorrow morning anyway and hopefully he’ll be back with a bit more humility next time.”

Merlin nodded. He looked rather pale and he’d been moving quite slow since they returned. Arthur suddenly realised he must be tired. He’d had extra duties all week what with the needs of Lord Branley’s entourage.

Arthur was tired himself. It had been quite the week. He sank back into the bath, trying to think of some funny joke or riddle to make Merlin laugh, but all he could think of was Silas’ face at dinner. The thought set him off sniggering again and he was still deep in mirth when the knock came at the door.

Merlin opened it to Leon, who greeted him politely.

“I was hoping to have a word with the prince.”

Arthur gestured to Merlin to let him in. He’d squired under Leon for many years, the man had seen him bathing plenty of times.

“Sire,” Leon said, nodding as he stepped into the room.

“Leon,” Arthur said, returning the nod somewhat lazily. “Is it business from the king?”

Leon didn’t answer. Instead he pulled out a chair from the table and put one foot on it. Then he removed his belt and turned to Arthur.

“Over!” he said sharply.

“No!” Arthur shouted before he could stop himself. Never in a hundred years would he have thought Leon had come in for this. He was a man now, he was crown prince and heir to the throne, he was…

He was _not_ about to be spanked over Leon’s knee.

Merlin looked confused, placing the circlet to one side.

“What’s going on?”

“Arthur knows,” Leon said, tone strict.

“Leon,” Arthur began to whine, but Leon held up a hand to cut him off.

“Tell Merlin. Tell him how every time you misbehaved as a squire you ended up over my knee for a punishment spanking.”

Merlin’s mouth dropped open.

“When I was a squire, yes!” Arthur snapped back. “Not now, Leon, good gods. Have you lost your mind?”

“Your father made me promise to correct you every time you crossed a line, and that’s exactly what you did today.”

“My father made you promise that when I was ten years old! It hardly applies now.”

Leon gave him a steely look and Arthur couldn’t help but gulp a little.

“It certainly does apply when you do something as irresponsible as this.”

Arthur had a sneaking suspicion he knew what this was about but he protested his innocence anyway.

“I haven’t even done anything!”

“The pink dye? You don’t think I knew it was you in an instant, Arthur?”

Arthur shrugged churlishly.

“Well. Silas deserved it. He was horrible and you know he was, I don’t know why you’re defending him.”

“I’m not defending _him_ ,” Leon said icily. “Or did you imagine your actions would have no consequences for anyone around you?”

Arthur frowned.

“What are you talking about?”

“Did you not find it odd that no one was blamed for the incident? It didn’t occur to you that Silas would be out for blood once he saw what you’d done?”

“He never said anything to me.”

“No he didn’t,” Leon said heavily. “Because Merlin took the blame.”

“What?”

“He was seen doing the laundry, it didn’t take much to solve the mystery.”

Arthur turned to look at Merlin.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Merlin shrugged, his gaze dropping.

“Wasn’t a big deal.”

“It was, Merlin, and you know it,” Leon said, his tone fractionally gentler. “Don’t try to shield Arthur from the consequences of his actions. If you hadn’t managed to convince them it was an accident, the sentence would have been even harsher.”

“The sentence?” Arthur said, his stomach dropping. “What sentence?”

He looked at Merlin again, who appeared agonised.

“It’s nothing…”

“Merlin, tell me,” Arthur said. “What happened?”

“Show him,” Leon said softly.

With one final pained look between them both, Merlin turned, peeling up his tunic.

There were five straight red lines on his back, clear evidence of a whipping.

Arthur felt bile rise in his throat.

“They whipped you?”

“Only with a stick,” Leon put in grimly. “As brutal as it was, he could have been lashed, Arthur. If Lord Branley hadn’t shown mercy, he might have been.”

Merlin let his tunic drop again, clearly uncomfortable.

“But I wasn’t, so can we just let it go?”

“No,” Arthur surprised himself by answering before Leon. “We can’t. I’m sorry, Merlin. I should have thought the blame would fall on you.”

Merlin met his eyes then, and gave a sort of half smile.

“I forgive you.”

But Arthur didn’t forgive himself. He looked at Leon and, heart sinking, realised what he had to do.

“I accept the punishment,” he said, standing up and stepping out of the bath.

Leon placed his foot back up on the chair, and nodded.

“Over here, then.”

Arthur looked to his robe and Leon shook his head.

He really was angry. Wilting, Arthur made his way over to Leon naked. He felt like a little boy again, only it was much more shameful to be needing a spanking at his age.

But Merlin had been hurt on his account and he wanted to offer at least a little penitence.

It was much more awkward figuring out a way to get over Leon’s lap now that he wasn’t half Leon’s size. Leon lost patience with his dithering and bent him in half over his knee. Arthur squirmed, knowing how much his arse was on display, painfully aware of how Merlin was watching the whole thing.

“I’m going to give you ten,” Leon said, “and I want you to think about what you’ve done.”

Arthur grimaced, the scolding was almost as bad as the spanking.

Almost, as he discovered when Leon’s belt first hit his arse. The fact that he was still wet from the bath made the sensation sting so much more and he couldn’t help but let out a little wounded cry.

“Oh,” Merlin said behind him, sounding rather flustered. “Perhaps I should take my leave-”

“Stay,” Leon said commandingly. “Arthur needs to face his shame.”

The next few hits were equally painful. Leon wasn’t hitting hard, Arthur knew it would barely even bruise and it definitely wouldn’t scar. It did hurt but it was nowhere near as dangerous as what Merlin could have been put through.

He certainly was facing his shame. He felt terrible for letting Merlin get beaten, and for not thinking ahead. But he was also mortified to be spanked like this in front of his manservant. Not only was Merlin getting a full view of his arse, he was pretty sure other things were entirely visible too. And the whole situation was so embarrassing, being treated like a child in this way.

He understood that this was Leon’s point though. Only children did things without any regards for the consequences.

An odd thing happened as the last few hits rained down. He was still thinking about Merlin, and how awful it was to be seen this way, and the undignified view his manservant had… but somehow his cock had begun to take an interest. He was exposed to Merlin completely, forced to take his punishment in front of him, and something about imagining Merlin's thoughts had suddenly become arousing.

He didn’t get hard, fortunately, because that might have tipped Leon all the way over the edge. As the belt struck his arse for the last time, he let out one final groan and Leon gave him a pat on the back.

“Alright, get up.”

His face was flushed and he couldn’t look Leon in the eye, afraid of the disappointment he might see there. But Leon handed him his robe and helped him pull it on.

“You did well, Arthur.”

Arthur found himself rather tearful.

“I’m sorry,” he said, looking up, and Leon smiled at him.

“I know you are, because you are a good man. You just need reminding sometimes.”

He held out his arms.

“All forgiven.”

Arthur stepped into them and Leon hugged him tightly, just like he used to when Arthur was little. It was his way of showing that they were starting afresh with a clean slate.

Arthur had never had a brother but he knew Leon was about as close as it could get. He was glad Leon still cared enough to keep fighting for him to be better.

“I’ll be off then.”

Leon touched Merlin’s arm.

“Take care of our prince, won’t you?”

Then he was gone.

Merlin looked like he couldn’t quite get over the shock of all that had happened.

“That was…”

“I’m sorry about the dye,” Arthur cut in.

“You already said that.”

“But I really am. I’ll never involve you in anything like that again, I swear.”

“So you’ll be doing the laundry next time,” Merlin teased.

“Let’s hope there is no next time,” Arthur said with a shudder. “I don’t think I could take another guest like Silas.”

“Or another spanking?” Merlin said cheekily.

“Yes, or that,” Arthur said, blushing. “Not an experience I’d care to repeat.”

“It had its upsides,” Merlin said, so quietly Arthur almost didn’t catch it.

“Excuse me?”

Merlin took a breath.

“The view wasn’t half bad.”

It was Arthur’s turn to be shocked.

“Very bold of you to say,” he managed to stammer out and Merlin gave him a half-lidded look.

“I’m in a bold mood.”

Arthur collected his thoughts a moment.

Then he dropped his robe to the floor.

“I’m all dirty again, I should get back in the bath,” he said slowly. “Are you coming?”

It wasn’t the end to the evening Arthur had predicted, but nothing about the day had been predictable so far anyway. And things certainly seemed to be taking a turn for the better.

He gently washed Merlin’s back in the bath and smoothed on the cream Gaius had given Merlin in bed after. In return, Merlin rubbed lotion into Arthur’s sore arse and gave it a little kiss when he was finished. They were both a bit too banged up to try anything adventurous, but a mutual hand job proved more than satisfactory. It felt so natural and right to be touching each other, Arthur was half-amazed they had never done it before. They fit together so well, as though there were intended for one another.

Later, as they lay intertwined, Arthur thought back on all that had happened.

“I promise not to put you in a situation like that again,” he said, cuddling closer into Merlin's side.

“I’ll promise to let you know if you do,” Merlin replied. “Or…”

“Or?”

“Or maybe I’ll just spank you myself,” Merlin said, raising one eyebrow.

Now that sounded like a promise.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
